Course Descriptions

CRM 100 Introduction to CriminologyThis course focuses on the nature of crime and on problems concerning its measurement and distribution. The course examines some of the popular images of crime in the media and elsewhere, the creation and utility of official and unofficial crime statistics, and theories about the causes of crime. No prerequisites. A grade of C or better is required in this course in order to continue in the major. Cr 3.

CRM 217 Crime in MaineAn introduction to crime and penal policies in Maine, including official and unofficial crime statistics; common crimes; white-collar crimes; and selected aspects in crime control. The course presents interstate comparative analysis, and several guest lectures by Maine speakers. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 220 Research Methods in CriminologyThis course is an introduction to methodological issues in criminology. The emphasis is on critical evaluation and application of the basic instruments of inquiry. Students will learn how to "do" criminology, as well as how to assess existing criminological literature. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 222 Field Studies in Informal Social OrderThis course will study informal social order as the tacit framework for the formal legal order. This will be an empirical test of criminological theories introduced in CRM 215. Through different methods of field research, students will be asked to observe and analyze the informal order of legal institutions such as courtrooms, prisons, and police stations. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 225 Crimes Against the EnvironmentThis course is designed to expose students to many of the prominent controversies and challenges associated with defining, measuring, and responding to crimes against the environment. Central to the course is an examination of the relationship between socioeconomic power and its effect on responses to environmental change. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 230 Introduction to the Criminal Justice SystemThis course is designed to provide students with an understanding of the criminal justice system in the United States from a sociological perspective. Students will become familiar with criminal justice functions such as policing, trials, defense and prosecution of cases, and corrections. Also, students are required to prepare a mock trial of a criminal case. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 301 Criminological TheoryThis course focuses on the development of criminological theory from 1930 to present. The course is historical in nature and addresses such fundamental problems as why certain behavior is defined as criminal, the causes of crime, and the consequences for the individual of being labeled as a criminal. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 310 Classical Theories of Social OrderThis course will examine how the concept of social order and the invention of criminology arose simultaneously. Classical social theories of the Enlightenment and Modernity will be used to study the origin of the modern state and the criminalization of various social groups. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 317 Gender and CrimeThis course concentrates on gender and its relation to crime. It explores such issues as histories of gender inequality, the gendered character of criminological theory, and how gender is related to a variety of crimes such as rape, violence in the family, crimes by women, property crimes, and corporate crime. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 320 Film and Social OrderThe intent of this course is to engage in a cross-cultural study of the relationship of film to social order and crime. Films construct images about social reality. The ways in which these images present and interpret this relationship will be examined from various analytical standpoints, including ethno-methodology, semiology, and post-modernism. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 325 Domestic ViolenceThis course explores contemporary theoretical and policy debates on domestic violence as a social problem and crime. Topics include partner abuse, child abuse, and elder abuse. The definition and measurement of domestic violence are analyzed. Comparison of legal and community responses to domestic violence is emphasized. Special attention is given to economic and ethnic diversity as they relate to domestic violence. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 327 Animal AbuseKey questions about the nature and forms of animal abuse are subjected to interdisciplinary inquiry spanning sociology, criminology, moral philosophy, and law. The course begins with individualized forms of animal abuse, such as cruelty, neglect, and sexual assault. It then examines institutionalized forms of abuse in research, zoos, hunting, sport/entertainment, and food production. Attention is also given to the link(s) between animal abuse and interhuman violence. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 330 Crime and Social ControlThis course explores theoretical and practical issues of modern systems of social control, including punishment, policing, prisons, parole, probation, and the role of the state in social control. The history of Western social control systems is stressed, with emphasis on race, gender, and class effects. Students are required to engage in experiential learning. Prerequisites: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 334 Law and StateThis course explores the relationship between the United States's social welfare policies and contemporary crime control problems and practices. It includes an examination of the United States's residual welfare state, theories on social welfare development, and the Nordic model of crime prevention, which is based on the premise that crime can be reduced through social policies designed to lessen structural inequalities. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 337 Youth CrimeThis course provides an overview of justice issues as they affect juveniles. Theoretical explanations for youth crime as well as the emergence of both "adolescence" and "delinquency" as socially constructed concepts will be examined. In general, the course adopts an historical approach to youth crime. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 345 Criminology in SwedenThis special summer course in Sweden provides students with the opportunity to live in, study, and experience another culture and to gain an understanding of crime, criminology, and social control in another country. Visits will be made to the police department and court system in Stockholm and to several prisons in other cities. Lectures will be provided by sociologists at the Criminology Institute at the University of Stockholm, as well as by a variety of lawyers, judges, and political party leaders. Offered Summer Session only. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 6.

CRM 350 Topics in CriminologySpecially developed courses exploring areas of interest and concern in depth. Topics which may be considered include war crimes, race and crime, ethno-methodology, homicide, visual criminology, film and crime, self and crime, sexuality and crime, and social theories of non-violence. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 360 The Death PenaltyThis course is designed to provide students with historical and current information on the death penalty in the United States. The following topics are covered: historical applications, deterrence, racial and gender bias, execution of innocent people, and the legal, political, economic, and moral perspectives of the death penalty. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 370 Reflexive CriminologyA reflexive approach to criminology examining criminological theories and perspectives as cultural and ideological products. Using cross-cultural and historical comparisons, the course analyzes the conditions under which "criminology" is produced. We also explore the connections between the product of the "criminology industry" and the reproduction of broader cultural and ideological patterns. Prerequisites: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 375 Media, Crime, and CriminalityIt is important to examine how the media assemble, select, and disseminate "crime knowledge" to audiences and thus influence their understanding of crime. The course uses a social constructionist approach to explore structural, institutional, and interactional contexts of media production. Prerequisite: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 380 Restorative JusticeThis course explores theory and research on restorative justice, which is an international movement of "progressive" reform that claims to reduce social inequalities generating crime. Students explore theoretical and empirical developments in restorative justice and examine programs claiming restorative components, such as victim-offender mediation and diversionary conferences. Prerequisites: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3.

CRM 390 Independent ProjectsIndividually or collectively arranged reading and/or research for juniors and seniors under the direction of a faculty member. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: CRM 100 and permission of instructor. Cr var.

CRM 395 InternshipThe course is designed as a field experience/reflection opportunity for upper-level criminology majors with substantive background or coursework in the area of internship placement. It also provides a work/action experience and insight into professional roles in a variety of community agencies and organizations. The emphasis is on the application of social science perspectives, substantive knowledge, and methodologies to understand a particular organizational situation. In addition to field placement, students are expected to meet for a series of internship seminars, for which readings and reports will be required. Also, students must have completed 53 or more credit hours by the end of the semester in which they register for the course. Contact Department internship coordinator for details. Prerequisites: CRM 100 or permission. Cr 3-6.

CRM 401 Comparative CriminologyThis course focuses on the application of U.S. criminological theory in cross-cultural contexts. Specific emphasis is given to the problems of cultural relativism and intellectual imperialism while providing an integrative senior experience for majors. Prerequisites: CRM 100, CRM 220, and senior class standing. Cr 3.

CRM 402 Senior SeminarThis course is intended to furnish senior criminology majors with an opportunity to reflect on and integrate the material in their other major courses. Its focus is a major research project. The course combines individualized instruction, small group meetings, and seminars. Prerequisites: CRM 100, CRM 220 and junior or senior class standing. Cr 3.